Wilkes University awarded 425 doctoral, master's and bachelor's degrees to students graduating at the summer commencement ceremony held on Sept. 8.

Wilkes University welcomes more than 500 students into the University's newest class.

During summer 2019, undergraduate students at Wilkes University engaged in research. Working with faculty on meaningful research is one of the hallmarks of a Wilkes education. Students at Wilkes have all of the educational opportunities of a large university in the mentoring culture of a small college.

Wilkes University Senior Vice President and Provost Anne Skleder announced the Dean's List for the spring 2019 semester. To be named to the Dean's List, students must obtain a minimum 3.5 grade point average and carry at least 12 credits.

Students in Wilkes University's Sidhu School of Business and Leadership placed third in the fifth annual Chicago Quantitative Alliance (CQA) Investment Challenge. The Wilkes team, called Wilkes Gold, competed against 50 teams, beating students from The University of Chicago, CalTech, Carnegie Mellon MBA, Duke University, Cornell University, University of Michigan, Washington University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Wilkes team received $1,000 for their third-place finish.

Kya Lewis of Secane, Pa., 19018 received the Alumni Leadership Award at Wilkes University's 72nd Annual Spring Commencement on May 18. This award is given by the Wilkes University Alumni Association to the member of the graduating class considered to have made the strongest contribution to student life and the student activities program of the University. Lewis earned a Bachelor of Business Administration, magna cum laude degree in management. Lewis is a two-term president of programming board, the student activities organization on campus. She was also the hip-hop director for the student-run radio station, WCLH. She served as a resident assistant and as orientation coordinator. Last fall, Lewis was selected as homecoming queen. After graduation, she will pursue her MBA at Wilkes and serve as a graduate assistant in the Admissions office. Lewis is the daughter of Sharon Lewis-Gregg and Wesley Gregg.

Thirteen students from the Health Sciences Program in Wilkes University's College of Science and Engineering have been accepted into post-graduate programs.

Wilkes University's Air Force ROTC Detachment 752 held a commissioning ceremony on May 17 in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. Students from Wilkes University, King's College, Marywood, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Misericordia University, University of Scranton and East Stroudsburg University were commissioned and received the rank of second lieutenant in the United States Air Force.

More than 200 Wilkes University students who received scholarships, along with the donors whose gifts made the scholarships possible, were recognized at the annual Scholarship Luncheon on April 4.

Six student members of the Wilkes Civic Band played with the 72nd Annual Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band. The students were chosen to play with the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band with other student musicians from 27 other schools across the state. They performed under the baton of Major Michelle Rakers, former assistant conductor of the U.S. Marine Band.

Eight Wilkes University students participated in a LEAP-AB trip to Dominican Republic March 2-9. LEAP-AB stands for Leadership, Education, Advocacy, and Partnerships-Alternative Break, coined by student leaders in 2016. Students worked with the organization Guanin, which aims to help young people discover, develop, and achieve their full potential as adults, citizens and leaders. Students donated their time doing work which addressed English as a second language and habitat and community outreach in a women's health initiative. The students shared information about women's health issues such as pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and hygiene.

Nine Wilkes University students were inducted as associate members into the Theta Delta Chapter of the Beta Beta Beta national biological honor society during an induction ceremony held during the fall 2018 semester. Associate members are sophomores and juniors who have completed fewer than 16 biology credits with at least a 3.25 grade point average and a 3.0 overall GPA. Beta Beta Beta was founded in 1922 at Oklahoma City University by Dr. Frank G. Brooks and his students. The idea of an honor society and professional society for biology students spread and by 1925 the society became a national organization. The Theta Delta Chapter was installed at Wilkes in 2001.

Wilkes University students will complete internships as part of their academic work in the winter semester 2019. Internships complement academic work, provide students with practical experience in their field of study and prepare them to enter careers. Career Services at Wilkes University provides opportunities for students to clarify their career goals via individual coaching, consultations, interest assessments and life-career planning courses. The Center for Career Development and Internships is newly located behind the Henry Student Center.

Three Wilkes University students were awarded the Dr. Joseph Donald Stephens, DDS Global Scholars Award. The award provides students with scholarships to pursue their education in another country. The award was established by Panos Kalaritis, a member of the Class of 1977, and his wife, Deborah Stephens Kalaritis, a member of the Class of 1978, in honor of her father, who also graduated from Wilkes in 1951.

Five Wilkes University students were inducted into Pi Kappa Delta, the speech and debate/forensics honor society. In order to become a member, students must participate in three competitive events throughout the school year, participate in the speech and debate team sponsored community service event and attend weekly practices and meetings. A ceremony for their induction was held on Nov. 1, 2018.

Wilkes University student James Dotter was named the production assistant for WilkesNow. WilkesNow is a student-run television program which educates young media professionals and provides services to the local community on cable channel 97 for Service Electric Cable, Wilkes-Barre, and one closed-circuit channel. He also serves as the sports production assistant for WCLH. WCLH is an independent, specialty programming radio station operated by Wilkes students.

Seventeen Wilkes University students have been appointed to the President's Student Advisory Council for the current academic year

Wilkes University recognized more than 95 students, faculty and staff at the Extracurricular Awards Luncheon for their contributions to activities outside the classroom.

The students elected to the Executive Board of Wilkes University's Student Government are are asked to represent the entire student body, acting as a liaison between the students and administration. They plan and coordinate activities on campus, and promote fellowship, scholarship, and the name of Wilkes University.

Wilkes University student pharmacists Rachel Wood and Katelyn Jimison from the Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, participated in the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association annual Pharmacy Legislative Day on April 16. Held at the Capital Complex, over 250 students attended to help fight for fair reimbursement. While there, they presented an information board on medication disposal. It explained the importance of proper medication disposal while handing out bags which are used to safely dispose medications.

Wilkes University's Nesbitt School of Pharmacy announced residency placements for students receiving the doctor of pharmacy degree in May 2017. Wilkes continued to match pharmacy students seeking residency training at a rate above the national average. Nationally, there were 3,497 residency positions offered and 5,160 applicants. Sixty-eight percent of those who applied for residencies were matched with a program.

Student pharmacists Ashley Robold and Terra Landis of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University were finalists in the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association's (PPA) 2017 "Know Pain Know Gain" Pharmacy Patient Counseling Competition, which took place during PPA's mid-year conference on Jan. 28 in Lancaster, Pa. Founded in 1878, the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association is a professional membership organization of more than 2,300 pharmacists and pharmacy students across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.